


Have Mercy

by ApollosGlare



Category: overwatch
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, More characters to be added as they appear - Freeform, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-12
Updated: 2016-11-30
Packaged: 2018-08-30 04:23:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8518357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApollosGlare/pseuds/ApollosGlare
Summary: The last words your soulmate says to you sit, scrawled neatly in the skin above ones heart. Does it still count though, Angela wondered, if you play god? When the last words uttered to you are those of a dying man you bring back, does it even still count? Or is it all a coincidence?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to Kelly for helping me brainstorm this idea, and to her and Sam for beta'ing this chapter! They're real troopers since they don't even ship Gency, lmao.

Growing up, she was always told that your soulmate is your 'heart' and that that's why their eternal last words are scrawled upon your skin right above it. "These are the last words your loved one will say to you," a teacher had explained to her class once, "these are words you must cherish."

  
_But then..._ Angela had wondered and worried, _what do those last words mean?_ She would fret as she inspected the two words neatly scripted into her chest, something she did constantly as she grew up.

  
_Have mercy._

  
What did it mean? What did it spell out for her future? Sometimes she worried that she'd grow up sadistic, maybe she caused her soulmate some sort of great grief? _Have mercy._  
As people grew up, their last words were not as often spoken of as when they were kids. People learning to keep it to themselves, and others even fearing ridicule for a fate they couldn't help. Worry that the words on their skin weren't as 'good' as others, and have mercy was still something she couldn't quite wrap her head around.

  
"How do you know they're your soulmate?" She had asked once, a kid full to the brim with a want for knowledge, hand stretched high in the air. "If they're the last words your soulmate says to you?"

  
The teacher had paused for a moment, before gushing, "oh well, you just- know."

She had found this to be a most unsatisfactory answer.

  
It was years later, that Angela had heard that that specific teacher's husband had passed, and there was a big debacle that he wasn't her soulmate. It turned out he had a mistress, and she had his final words to her on her arm. It may have been poor of her to feel a bit smug, but she wished the teacher all the luck in finding her real soulmate.

  
It became something that people clung to, the thought of finding 'the one' they were meant to be with forever. As the Omnic Crisis worsened and war started hitting closer to home, the thought of finding love was a comfort. Angela remembered her parents words. " _I love you,_ " and " _be safe_." They said those words to each other every day, just in case. She had wondered if this was cheating the system, but she found solace in the fact that maybe, just maybe they really were meant to be and she was blessed to have them together as her parents for the time she did.

  
As the war started hitting closer to home, she turned her attentions away from silly thoughts of soulmates and true love. "There's no guarantee you'll ever actually be together." She'd argue when her friends pressed her for information on her words. "You could bump into one another and never think to chase the other down again-" This was doubly true for those who had such ambiguous words on their chests. Sorry, and good bye must've been the toughest words to live with.

  
Silly thoughts of true love aside, a girl thirsting for knowledge and a love for helping others, her own happiness was at the back of her mind. She turned focus to studies, isolating herself as she pushed herself harder to succeed.

  
Always the bright child, even in these hard times, Angela graduated high school at 14. She excelled in education, getting a doctorate at 17, and watching the world turn to turmoil as her few friends worried over things like true love. She became world renowned after creating new biotic nanotechnology, taking giant leaps in the medical field in order to better protect people.

  
It was a rather chilly day in the fall when the research facility was a buzz with rumors of a representative from Overwatch looking to recruit someone- She remembered her director complaining about how those "damned military types, think they can come in and poach anyone they please!" He had all but begged Angela, "you won't let them take you, will ya Angie?" She hated that nickname, but assured the man anyway.

  
"It's Angela, and no- why on earth would I work for a military group? That goes against everything I stand for as a physician!"

  
He thanked her, and looking back, she would feel a bit bad for lying to him.

  
"We don't need an immediate response." The representative had said, sitting across from her in the unused conference room at her work. "But we do ask you to consider it." He slid a pamphlet across the table to her, and she hesitated before picking it up. Why on earth would they be picking her? She was a doctor, a healer, not a fighter!

  
It would be dangerous, and Overwatch's outlooks and ideas were the polar opposite from her own... fighting is no way to achieve peace. But for some reason, those words came to her mind, and she called the number on the pamphlet.

  
_Have mercy._

  
Being on the frontlines meant more chances to save lives in the heat of the battles- when the chances are lowest for them, and they're most at risk... it was the best option to save their lives. She would work hard to make sure she could help as many people as she could.

  
"I have some conditions first," she stated sternly, once she had called the number. Angela knew better and was refusing to be taken advantage of due to her young age. "Namely, my research is to never be used to harm. It is all in the name of healing and helping others, and I refuse to see it used in weaponry."

  
"All right," the voice replied after a moment of consideration, "you have a deal."

  
"I'm glad, then tell me when I should pack."

  
Her director had absolutely refused to speak to her during her last weeks at the facility, and her few friends begged her to not go- to stay- to stand by her beliefs that she held so near. They wouldn't have understood, this was what she was meant to do, this was the best choice for her. The plane ride to her assigned watchpoint was quiet, and a bit anxiety filled.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to;  
> Sam & Mala

It was the Valkyrie suits 3rd test run, and she was still making upgrades and fixing bugs with the armor. It's flight system still stuttered, but she was saving lives and wasn't that all that was important? As much as she disagreed with the organization- and she made this fact known- Overwatch continued to bestowed upon her the state of the art technology she needed to make a difference. It filled her with pride.

She had refused to take part of the actual raid tonight, always coming along for support and aid. Anyone in need of healing, no matter what side they were on, would have her assistance. And the new Strike Commander, Jack Morrison, hounded her for it.

"Ziegler I swear to god if you go around healing people willy-nilly-" Morrison started up, glaring at her with hard blue eyes.

"You mean doing my job?" Angela had quipped, nose upturned as she sat in the transport vehicle. Staff in hand, as she was sandwiched between the Blackwatch commander Gabriel Reyes, and his new puppy. Jesse McCree was a decent sort, he was around the same age as her even though they had completely different upbringings and reasons for being where they were. Flirted a bit too much for her tastes, the usual full of himself teenage boy, but he was kind enough when it counted. "I will save anyone who needs my help, regardless of what 'side' they are on." She looked at Jack defiantly, and he conceded.

She was a doctor, after all, how could he tell her to not do what the oath she took demanded of her? To help all in need. To have mercy.

"You'll need a goddamn miracle to save anyone once I'm done with 'em." The cowboy wannabe that was Jesse McCree slurred out in a thick accent. He grinned over at Angela, as she scrunched her nose up in disgust, and Commander Reyes rolled his eyes.

She shifted to press herself more to Reyes and away from Jesse. "It'll be a miracle in and of itself if you're not the first one I'm patching up with that get up," she responded. A few chuckles sounding afterwards, the Blackwatch commander included and she felt a small bit of pride at getting such a response. Angela smirked at her peer, head held high.  
It was his turn to scrunch up his nose as he huffed like a kid, and turned his head away. Aside from his occasional grumbling and her little quips and responses, the rest of the ride was relatively silent.

Tonight they'd be raiding Shimada Castle, and honestly? She hardly even knew why. Shouldn't you pay attention to the motives behind what we do? Morrison had argued, shaking his head as he called her 'an idealistic youth' as if her wish to save people was an insult to her. How good can they be when they end in the death of others? Was her response, and they left the discussion there.

The vehicle slowly came to a stop as everyone prepared and began to stand to file out, she let those who would be fighting go ahead of her, staying seated. Jesse and Commander Reyes went first, talking quietly to confirm their plan of action. They usually were the initial hit, covert operations that went in to scout ahead and take out any crucial security measures. Angela watched them out the corner of her eye for a bit before she met eyes with Commander Morrison, feeling uneasy for some reason. "You all right, Ziegler?" He asked, despite his protests on her choices to heal both enemy and allie alike, he was still a good man. He put a hand on her shoulder, and she took in a breath.

"Yes, I'm fine... just... something feels off?" She had a feeling of dread that did not sit well with her at all, one of those in the gut feelings. As she watched Gabriel and Jesse step off and dart into the night, she became increasingly more concerned with the well-being of her friends.

Morrison smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder "it'll be all right; just stick close to the team." Returning the smile, she nodded, though not convinced. Reyes soon came in over the earpiece, confirming his position for the second strike team to come through. Removing his hand to respond, Jack said a few words and then readied himself to lead the team.

As the sound of heavy boots treading down the ramp and onto the pavement sounded, Angela steeled herself for the night. Deep breaths, and she followed close behind the soldiers, staff at the ready and on guard. Ever true to her word, she stopped at the side of anyone who needed her, mostly the enemies guards at this point due to Gabriel and Jesse's preliminary run through of the castle.

As she tended to the injured in the main courtyard, her earpiece crackled in. The voice of one of the newer recruits sounded, a bit shaken as they called out to her, "Dr. Ziegler?"  
Her fingers pressed the button to respond, "this is Dr. Ziegler, are you injured? What's your position?"

The recruit breathed in, a soft "holy shit" sounded over the ear piece. It was quiet and breathy and caused her a bit of panic as she stood to rush to the position. "It's uh, it's not one of us." A pause. "I'm in the courtyard, down by the gazebo."

Wings lighting up, she took flight near immediately, setting down near where she saw a couple of Overwatch members standing off to the side. "Mein gott..." She murmured, eyes wide at the sight before her. "What have you done?" She asked the two beside her, not being able to take her eyes off the mangled body before her. The body of a boy, who couldn't even be older than her, lay bloody and broke on the ground. She could barely tell that he was breathing, burns marring his skin as a single arrow was stuck in his sternum. A strange weapon of choice, and she felt a little embarrassed at being so accusatory since it was obviously not one of theirs.  
Her embarrassment doubled as they responded, "it wasn't us!" and she quickly knelt beside the body.

"Page Commander Morrison, let him know about this," her biotic technology could only do so much, as she tried to use her healing stream on him, prepping to move him as soon as possible. Cursing quietly in German, she kept her eyes on his chest to monitor for his breathing while she worked to do as much as she could here and now.  
"Commander Morrison is on his way, Dr. Ziegler."

Murmuring a small "danke" as an after thought to the statement, Angela perked up as the boy moved slightly. "Hello!" Trying to get a response from him, she cupped his face, blood staining her gloves as she inspected his eyes for any sign of awareness. "My name is Dr. Angela Ziegler, can you hear me?"

Initially frantic as no immediate reply came, she looked in confusion as the boy spoke something in Japanese, eyes focusing in on her. At least it was a response but-

" _Have mercy._ "

She snapped her eyes to one of the soldiers behind her, "what did you just say?"

"What he said," the man shifted, "I speak Japanese and it means-"

_Have mercy_.

Fate must've been a cruel joke. Somewhere fate was laughing and laughing and Angela could do nothing about it. The man had slipped into back into unconsciousness, and she couldn't contain the panic that she felt as she tried so hard to save his life. If he was meant to be her soulmate, if he was meant to be who she loved with all her heart- then why?

" _No,_ " she breathed.

Teeth grit as she worked to try and keep him breathing, beginning chest compression's, she looked up to see Jack running over to them. "We have to help him." She begged, looking distraught. He paused for a moment, getting a good look at the boy before agreeing. "We could use him," he had said, and Angela really should've thought more on that line than she did. She only rejoiced that there was a chance she could save him, as they worked to fashion together a stretcher and load him up on the transport vehicle.

The raid had apparently been a bit of a bust, the heir to the Shimada's having fled, and those left behind had none of the information they needed. She only half heard these things, watching as her patient- her soulmate? - breathed slowly with the help of a breathing tube they kept just in case of these emergencies. She hooked him up to a heart rate monitor, the ominous beeps making for an uncomfortable atmosphere in the already cramped van.

Jesse had sneered about the care being put into the boy, "why're we doing all this for some enemy kid?" He had complained, as if he wasn't still a kid himself. He was slouched in his seat, arms crossed, and obviously upset over the proclaimed failure of the mission. 'I'm not one to fail,' he'd always say, as if there were people who enjoyed failing somewhere out there in the world.

"He's the Shimada's second in line-" Reyes had informed, and Angela really wished that she had paid full attention to these conversations instead of watching with dread for that little line to drop. "He'll know all the Shimada's valuable information, we just need to get that from him and then we can put him out of his misery."

Jack had actually protested that, "Gabe, he's Dr. Ziegler's patient, we'll do what we can to help him." Whether he was actually giving her his support, or taking away his support from Commander Reyes- she would never fully know.

"I will do whatever I can to save him," she said aloud, though they were mostly words to comfort herself. "He will be okay."

The boy was put into a medically induced coma upon arrival to the Watchpoint, and options were being discussed. Gabriel's solution was to wake him up and drill him for answers before letting him go, Jack was hearing Angela's pleas to save him- They argued a lot these days, so she would still never know if he did it for her or to just disagree with the Blackwatch Commander... but she was thankful for it all the same.

It was more than an hour later when the two approached her with their compromise.

"He wouldn't have any quality of life otherwise, Angela," Commander Morrison had plead. "This is the only way."

"But to make him a weapon?" She all but spat, pacing a bit frantically asking herself if she was really going to do this. "We can help him without that!"

"Ziegler, this isn't time for your morals-" Reyes tried to intervene, be more forceful about the decision, it didn't work.

"What?! Because you don't have any?" She threw the comment back in his face, angry that he'd even suggest that she just drop her morals! Angela Ziegler, did not give up her morals.

"Angela, please, just listen to me-" Jack tried again, trying to get the girl to stop moving. "We can't do anything else for him, you have to meet these conditions." He got a grip on her, holding her in place as he spoke to her. "I don't want to turn this request into an order."

She was quiet for a bit, refusing to meet his eyes and looking at Gabriel's boots instead. He needed new ones. Chewing on her lip as she thought, she sighed in defeat. "Fine, but I have a condition."

"All right."

"We get his permission first."

They agreed.

She still felt a pang of guilt as they woke him up, knowing he wouldn't be fully aware with the drugs pumping in him, but consent was better than nothing... it was all that she had to go on to comfort her. His eyes were still unfocused as he opened them, and she hovered nearby as Morrison and Reyes briefed him on the situation. She learned his name was Genji, and he looked so broken inside.

He did not speak or make noise at all as the proposal was made, he looked down to inspect his body as best he could in his position. She could tell he was trying to move his fingers and toes, and she could see the emotion on his face when he realized he couldn't. The first word he said, wasn't even a response to the offer given to him:  
Help Overwatch take down the Shimada Empire, be built a new body to be used as a weapon, and dismantle his own family.

" _Hanzo_."

She didn't know the meaning of the word, and froze when he looked at her, "doctor..." He struggled to get his words out, "what is my condition?" He managed after long moments of trying, and she swallowed thickly before honestly telling him, "you would be bed ridden if you declined. You would need a caretaker for as long as you live."

Gritting his teeth, he choked back what almost sounded like a sob, and later she would discover he held a lot of frustration that he couldn't even lash out in his anger and clench his fists. He took a deep breath of the oxygen feeding into his nostrils, before agreeing to the terms, and he was put back under.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Rip your fic."  
> Iconic words by Sam as he sent me back a completely dissected fic on the beta.
> 
> As a note! This will be the last chapter until probably mid January! I'll be pre-emptively drawing for Gency week so I'll be putting this off until I get that done. Thank you! u ou

When he tries to think back to how they wound up in this predicament, he can’t really pinpoint a specific cause. It was all a slow start, one small thing after another that piled up higher and higher until everything decided to come toppling down. Genji remembers being young, and watching his elder sibling come under the scrutiny of their clan elders. He remembers comforting his sibling, his brother, and knowing one thing rang true; they just didn’t understand. This instance, might have been the start of it all.

While watching his elder sibling fall under such criticisms, Genji did the only thing his young mind could think to do- rebel. In hindsight this probably wasn’t the best course of action, but hindsight always is 20/20. So the boy caused trouble and mayhem, pulled pranks and skipped his lessons. Soon enough he had pulled all the criticisms away from Hanzo, and onto him. It wasn’t long after that Hanzo became the favored child, his father’s heir, and Genji was the one who would catch the disdainful looks of the elders. It suited them both better this way.

They were closer back then, so it wasn't a problem when Hanzo was the one sent to scold him for being a pest. The thought that it would turn out like this, had never even crossed his mind in all his years.

They would often walk to and from school together, brothers matching strides- or well, attempting to with Genji’s case as short legs worked to keep up with his older brothers. They talked about everything, there were no secrets between them. The topics ranged from all sorts of things, from what they wanted for dinner that night to what their aspirations in life were. “Predictable,” Genji would say, as Hanzo spoke fondly on his plans to take over the clan and continue the Shimada legacy.

“You act as if you won’t be there with me,” Hanzo would look over at his brother with a smile, “we are Shimada’s, Genji, we will both take charge of the clan!” Genji never really wanted that, scoffing and arguing that he’d rather play video games all day. That was his course of action, and that had always sounded pretty fine to him. “You’re such a foolish child!” Hanzo scoffed, “stop wasting times with your silly daydreams!”

"Geez, sorry  _ dad _ ," Genji rolled his eyes at the lecture he received, kicking a rock down the sidewalk as they made their way home. "You're no fun anymore," he added, as he trotted a few steps ahead of his brother to give the rock an extra hard kick. He remembers how it had hit a flower pot, and Hanzo yelled at him afterwards to be more careful.

Genji laughed anyway, as he ran the rest of the way home.

They were so much closer back then, and talked about everything.

"Hey Hanzo," Genji started one day, stuck in a bit of a mood, "what does your mark say?" His face was scrunched up as he had glared at the ground. His classmates teased him about his own, and he couldn’t even really be angry- his was stupid. ' _ No'  _ was such a stupid and ugly thing to have permanently on your chest, he never liked it. He hoped his brother at least had something just as dumb, but knowing Hanzo it was probably something beautiful and poetic. Because that's just the kinda thing Hanzo  _ would _ have on his chest, honestly.

The elder was quiet for a while, before finally: " _ walk lighter _ ."

"That sounds really gay."

Hanzo pushed him off the sidewalk, and he tumbled into a ditch.

Genji laughed anyway, and ran to catch up with his brother, smiling up at him. It was probably one of the last times they had been at such ease with each other.

As more and more summers passed,Genji began to grow more, soon becoming even taller than Hanzo. He took this to be the reason his brother started speaking to him in such a serious and stern tone, teasing him that he was jealous that Genji got all the height and looks. He couldn’t even remember if he meant it as a joke, or if he was just blind to the pressure his brother was under. It didn’t matter in the end, as shortly after Genji turned 13 they had all but stopped talking. They no longer walked to and from school together, and  soon enough Genji almost entirely stopped attending school, preferring to spend his time in the arcade down the road from his home instead of in his classes.

"The elders aren't happy with you," Hanzo had confronted him one day, arms crossed as he blocked Genji’s path to the exit of the arcade. Genji was 15, and gangly, and such an irresponsible teen- cycling through boys and girls as if they were fashion accessories more so than people, which his girlfriend at the time had quickly found out as she ducked away from the two quarrelling brothers, only to find that her texts and calls were no long being returned and the rumors had it that Genji was caught with another boy in the restroom of that same arcade.

He thought of himself as a romantic, really. Finding ways into his lovers beds, and memorizing the words on their bodies, and repeating them as they parted ways. He made them all his soulmates, he made himself their soulmates. He was called heartless.

It's a case of doing something for so long- it becomes an ingrained part of you. It becomes the truth, and it was true that he was nothing but a troublemaker who caused stress for his family. His father was all but fed up with him, by the time of his death. That was around the same time that Hanzo stopped talking to him all together. His role as a distraction for his brother had ceased being necessary, but he still made a spectacle of himself.

"You're such a shameful person," Hanzo had sighed one day, when Genji was 16 and caught with a girl in the closet of his home. The girl murmured a quiet “I’ll call you later” as she quickly made her way to the door, and Genji made a note to not return her calls. He looked at Hanzo with irritation, lipstick smears on his face that he tried to wipe off without much success.

“I think you’re just jealous,” he straightened his clothes, zipping up his pants as he stepped out of the closet. Trying his best to look aloof despite being literally caught with his pants down. “She was out of your league anyway.” Casually ignoring that she wasn’t even his brothers type, he leaned against the wall next to the doorway, “what did you want?”

Hanzo’s anger grew more and more obvious as he listened to the bullshit his brother spouted, gripping his fists he blew up. “You were  _ supposed  _ to be at the meeting tonight, Genji! This was your last chance!” He paced a bit, “I don’t understand how you can be so fucking dense, do you not care about the future of our clan? Of yourself?!” He turned to glare at his brother and to study his response.

“This isn’t my future,” was all Genji responded, pushing off the wall and turning away from his brother. “You’re so full of yourself and your honor bullshit.” Scoffing, he turned back to Hanzo, “I bet the elders are filling your head with all their ‘ _ holier-than-thou _ ’ shit too.” He laughed a bit at that thought, shoving hands in his pockets, taking exaggerated steps as he moved to leave.

Hanzo stayed rooted to his spot, scowling, “they’re teaching me how to keep this family afloat. How to not run this clan into the ground, which you seem keen on doing!” He shouted as Genji ignored him, making his way out into the courtyard without so much as a glance back. He wondered if he would’ve noticed how distraught Hanzo looked at that very minute, as things he never realized were going on behind closed doors.

If he was asked to pinpoint the exact moment things went to shit, he wouldn’t be able to say. It wasn’t the first time they had an argument like this, and the elders were always breathing down Hanzo’s neck- just as they had been when he was a child. Perhaps it was too much that Genji expected his brother to not eventually break under the pressure, but then again, no one ever expects their own brother to murder them.

When it was later that same night, and Hanzo confronted Genji in the gazebo, nothing really seemed off. He was just still mad at their argument in the hallway, he was just needing to blow off some steam. They had fought with fists before, they had played games of cat and mouse with their weapons before, but it was always short lived as they expended their energy and later dropped the matter entirely. Nothing really seemed off.

It never dawned on him that Hanzo’s intent would be to kill him; he took everything too lightly right to the end, he supposed. Laughing it off as he deflected an arrow, then another, and then a third, he faltered. “Hanzo, chill, you’re aiming a little too close for comfort.” His laugh turned more uneasy, not missing the way his brother avoided his eyes, his deflecting became more panicked. “Hanzo ca-” a soft ringing noise was made as his sword was chipped, narrowly managing to deflect the latest arrow, and he looked at his brother with wide eyes. Hands shaking as the sword slipped from his grip. “...brother…”

Hanzo still refused to meet his eyes, looking down and focusing on his chest as he pulled back the string of his bow. “Forgive me, brother, but this is the only way.”

The thing about dying, is that it’s not as clarified as some people say it is, or maybe they just have luck like that. His insides burned and he cried out, dry sobbing as he crumbled; time seemed to slow down as he fell to the ground, and everything around him looked muddied. He accepted his fate, and wondered which ex who slapped him and told him to never speak to them again was his soulmate in the end…

When he feels a prodding and hears frantic words above him,Genji opens his burning eyes and he can’t quite see what’s happening as he says with desperation to whomever was above him:

“ _ Have mercy. _ ”

**Author's Note:**

> I'll post chapters as I complete the one after it, no set schedule aside from that. The final chapter count is subject to change, 5 is the least I'm aiming for, but 7 is my actual projected.


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